An Investigation into Potential Moderating Effects of the Relationship Between Actual and Perceived Market Orientation

Abstract

This study examines the gaps between a firm's actual (self-reported) market orientation and the channel partner's perceptions of the firm's market orientation and factors that may moderate that gap. Expected differences between the measures were found, but in an unanticipated direction-perceptions of market orientation received higher ratings than actual market orientation. To gain a fuller understanding of this difference, variables that may moderate the perceptual gap were tested. Communication was found to be an important moderator of this relationship between actual and perceived market orientation.